Reps. Acciavatti, Nofs, Emmons, Brandenburg, Garfield, Spade, Amos, Casperson, Robertson, LaJoy, Bisbee, Milosch, Farhat, Newell, Kooiman, Vander Veen, Voorhees, Ruth Johnson, Huizenga, Sheen, Ehardt, Accavitti, Bieda, Brown, Caswell, Condino, Drolet, Gieleghem, Gillard, Gleason, Hager, Hune, Jamnick, Julian, Lipsey, Meyer, Murphy, Palmer, Pappageorge, Pastor, Plakas, Sak, Shackleton, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Shulman, Stakoe, Wojno, Woodward and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 53.

            A resolution encouraging employers to protect reservists and National Guardsmen who are called to active duty from financial hardship by making up the difference between the reservists’ military and civilian pay.

            Whereas, American freedom has often hinged on what happens on foreign shores. Our forefathers knew that keeping a Republic meant, above all else, keeping it safe from foreign aggressors. A free people, they knew, could not live and work freely except in the peace that comes from independence; and

            Whereas, From the earliest days of the American colonies to the present, our people have faced threats from predators. The defense of our freedom required risk and sacrifice, both of which have often been borne by citizen-soldiers who volunteered to leave the security of their homes to defend the freedom of others. Today, thousands of men and women have continued the citizen-soldier tradition. They serve in the Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Michigan Army National Guard, and Air National Guard; and

            Whereas, These brave men and women have been called upon to ensure that peaceable and free nations remain safe as our nation copes with the reality we have faced since September 11, 2001. The war on terror has called upon our citizen-soldiers in new ways for homeland protection over our cities, at our airports, and at other critical installations. They have also joined their compatriots in campaigns to liberate Afghanistan and Iraq; and

            Whereas, In answering this call to service, citizen-soldiers are making innumerable sacrifices to help keep our nation safe. They have left the comfort and security of their families to ensure that our nation is protected from attack by hostile regimes, terrorists and others who threaten our peace and safety. They may also face financial hardships as a result of their service. Citizen-soldiers who are called to service are often paid significantly less than they would have earned during regular, full-time civilian employment. The financial sacrifice of these brave men and women not only affects them, but also their spouses, children, and families; and

            Whereas, Many Michigan employers are making up the difference between their employees’ pay earned while defending our country and their pay earned in civilian life. We applaud those employers who have chosen to help Michigan citizen-soldiers and their families, and we commend employers’ sacrifices to financially protect those who protect our nation. Such expenditure is an appropriate and commendable patriotic exercise that shall forever be encouraged; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we encourage employers to protect reservists and National Guardsmen who are called to active duty from financial hardship by making up the difference between the reservists’ military and civilian pay.